BACOLOD City – A sugar producer’s group is calling on a “much-needed intervention” from the national government to ensure stable trading prices.
This is after sugar prices have been dropping to levels below a comfortable profit margin, especially for small farmers.
United Sugar Producers Federation president Manuel Lamata asked for a possible state intervention from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Department of Agriculture (DA) secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.
He cited that sugar prices continue to plummet at P2,500 per 50-kilogram bag in the past two weeks in Negros Island and even lower at P2,300 levels in Bukidnon, way below the price levels of P3,200 in the same period last year.
“This is very disconcerting because mill gate prices are now at P50 per kilo, which is way lower than our production costs. Moreover, retail prices remain at P80 to P85 per kilo, and the farmers are clearly not profiting from the local market prices,” Lamata said.
Furthermore, he said if fuel and fertilizer prices continue to rise, farmers cannot sustain the situation and may not be inclined to produce for the next milling season.
“Please help us and the five million dependents of the sugar industry who will clearly not be enjoying the holidays under this condition, and we fear that many workers will be displaced and their dependents will go hungry,” Lamata said, adding that most farmers were hoping that the pronouncements of the President that sugar prices should not go down below P3,000 would start to kick in.
“We know President Marcos’ heart is with and for the farmers, as he has told us so, and we are calling for his intervention on this matter,” he added./PN
